Journal article
Transforming electronic labs through experiential education: A survey of higher Educational practices in Ireland during the pandemic
Industry and Higher Education, Vol.Advanced access
13-Jul-2026
Abstract
This paper examines the shift to remote and distance learning in experiential education for electronic, electrical, and computer engineering courses in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. As higher education institutions were required to redesign laboratory sessions for remote delivery, the study identifies and categorises the approaches adopted across engineering faculties at Irish third-level institutions. Data were collected from 33 respondents representing 12 higher education institutions, exploring the implementation and perceived effectiveness of different remote laboratory methods. The findings identify five delivery models: learning simulations, remote lab kits, electronic lab notebooks/e-books, portfolios/formative assessment, and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Institutional responses largely converged on two approaches—learning simulations and take-home hardware kits—reflecting pragmatic solutions under pandemic constraints. Remote laboratory kits accounted for approximately 37% of responses, while learning simulations represented 26% of reported implementations. Respondents consistently reported a trade-off between scalability and pedagogical value. Learning simulations were preferred for larger cohorts and limited resources, whereas take-home hardware kits were considered more effective for developing practical skills but required greater implementation effort. The study highlights how emergency teaching conditions influenced decision-making, leading to solutions that balanced continuity of experiential learning with operational feasibility rather than optimised instructional design.
Details
- Title
- Transforming electronic labs through experiential education: A survey of higher Educational practices in Ireland during the pandemic
- Authors
- Michael Johnson (Corresponding Author) - University of LimerickMerrilyn Goos - University of the Sunshine CoastMartin Hayes - University of LimerickAsma Khatoon - University of Limerick
- Publication details
- Industry and Higher Education, Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- Sage Publications Ltd.
- DOI
- 10.1177/09504222261470283
- ISSN
- 2043-6858
- Copyright note
- © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
- Organisation Unit
- School of Education and Tertiary Access
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991246280402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
1 Record Views